TEZPUR, Jan 17 � As the State�s first cinema hall �Jonaki�, which came into existence in 1937 as an outcome of persistent efforts of cultural icon Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, completes seventy-five years of existence, the historic Tezpur town today wore a festive look marking the occasion with a day-long programme.
It is to be mentioned that Rupkonwar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, the father of Assamese film industry, first Assamese film Joymoti in 1935. To show the movie, the Agarwala family built �Jonaki� near today�s Poki (Jyoti Bharati), the ancestral home of Rupkonwar that stands in the heart of the city. Earlier the site was covered with weeds, but Rupkonwar�s indomitable grit helped him to make the impossible possible and thus within a month of his persistent efforts, �Jonaki� came into being in 1937 which still remains as a witness of Tezpur being the culture capital of the State.
In connection with the platinum jubilee function of the State�s first cinema hall and the 62nd death anniversary of the cultural icon Rupkownar Jyoti Prasad Agarwala, a day-long programme was held today with much pomp and gaiety to commemorate Jyoti Prasad�s unmatched contribution towards the process of building a greater Assamese nation through culture. As part of it, in the morning the family members of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala paid tribute before the portrait of the cultural icon at an august gathering at Poki. It was followed by a brief meeting, where addressing the gathering Sonitpur DC Tapan Chandra Sarma urged one and all to follow the ideals of the cultural icon thereby creating a conducive atmosphere in the society.
Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent, the second daughter of Rupkonwar Gyanashree Pathak said that there is an urgent need to preserve all the creations of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala. She alleged that though the government needed to play a role in preserving the creations of the cultural icon and the cremation spot of Jyoti Prasad, no such activity is seen in this regard. Rather the family has been trying hard to do the same considering it to be a significant step. �The �Swaralipi� of the cultural icon is to be preserved so that the new generation can follow it,� she said.
On the other hand, in connection with the Silpi Divas, Tezpur Sahitya Sabha organized the four-day-long Tezpur Book Fair-2013 which was inaugurated by Dr Pradip Jyoti Mahanta, HoD, Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University. In his speech he said that books play a pivotal role in building civilization and humanity. Likewise, the book fairs have been playing a major role in the society.
�Creating an interest towards books aiming at creating a sense of nationalism which creates an intellectual environment thereby building a civilization among the people,� the noted scholar said, adding that we have to take forward the new generation with a moral obligation where book could play an optimum role. He also released two books � Priyo Bandhur Khadhu and Pothorwa Juri and an audio CD �Rupkwnor�.
A special event �Jonaki nite� was also held in the Jonaki cinema hall where artistes Gyanoda Kakoti, Sudakshina Sarma, Kamal Hazarika, Arun Nath, Mridula Baruah and Nipan Goswami were felicitated. In the function, late Hadi Alom Bora was also awarded posthumously.
To mark the Silpi Divas, Tezpur unit of AASU also organized a day-long programme at Jyoti Prasad Agarwala�s samadhi kshetra and a central-level day-long programme was organized in Lakhimpur.